Heaven Streamers

Heaven streamers came down today. You’ve seen them before. Those soul lifting light shafts that streak through the clouds and lift your eyes and spirit to Heaven.

We often wonder if Heaven just can’t contain itself and has to let a little of its wonder slip through the skies, down to us.

Or, perhaps the joy of loved ones up there is so great that their piñata praises of heavenly celebration burst through the clouds in multi-colored light shafts.

It’s always a invitation to connect with God.

These heavenly streamers followed Marybeth on her morning bike ride a few days ago … really followed her. It was as if God and dear loved ones were looking down and smiling on her.  Moments like that lift your soul and speak to your heart. Hoping to capture the moment forever, Marybeth snapped a photo and thought of this verse:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a crowd of witnesses, let us strip off every weight that slows us down…and run with endurance the race God has set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1

 We hope you’ll be on the look out for heavenly streamers ... those soaring light messages filled with the confetti and color of an eternal celebration.

Looking up,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Beautiful Blue Timing

Timing is everything.  And God’s timing is perfect.

We had a brilliant blue shock of color ambush us today in our studio garden.  The garden is a bit subdued now, pulling up its autumn blanket of amber, terra-cotta and subdued browns.  There’s a slumbering beauty here that you have to look for carefully.  Imagine our splash -you -in -the -face -morning surprise at finding this perky little sprite.  A solitary, bright blue cornflower saying “hello!”  Where was this little blossom in the springtime?  And why on earth did she decide to bloom now?

She bloomed now because THIS  was her time.  If she had come a little earlier, she would have simply been lost in hundreds of other blooms.  In a sea of blazing blue, she would never have been appreciated like she is now. God wanted her to shine and He picked this time for her to bloom.  It’s the perfect time for her to bloom and she’s celebrated just about every moment of each day!  How can you miss her???

This brilliant blue cornflower has made us think about how perfect God’s timing is in our lives.  We sometimes wonder why things haven’t happened in the time frame we imagined, why things seem delayed in coming and when the answers to our hopes, dreams  and silent whispered prayers will ever come.  When these thoughts surface, we press in and trust this promise of God’s timing:

“For the vision (dream, future event, revelation) is for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.  Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.”                                              Habakkuk 2:3

So, for all you fellow believers, dreamers and trusting-in-God’s-timers, we hope our little blue flower blazes a message of hope and inspiration into your hearts. God’s timing is always perfect. 

Brilliant blue smiles,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Custom Decor

“Our mouths are filled with laughter… our tongues with songs of joy… the Lord has done great things for us.”                                  Psalms 126:2

We’re absolutely giddy with joy over our new licensing contract with Custom Décor, Inc.  For those of you who have not met them before, they are the # 1 producer of garden flags, mailbox covers and mats in the USA .  They’ve been a joy to work with and here’s a little peek at what we’ve created for them.

Visit their site to find a store that carries these products @http://www.customdecornet.com/

For those of you who own a retail store, visit their wholesale website at @ https://www.customdecornet.com/customer/account/login/

Thank-you to our amazing licensing agent, Painted Planet Licensing Group and Custom Décor!

The best is yet to come!!!                                  

Celebrating,    

The Velvet Lime Girls 

Laura, Marybeth and Rebecca.

God IS in the Details.

God really IS in the details.  Just look at shimmering blue petals...

                                   

           fragrant petite thyme

nasturtium color cups and fuzzy late blooming Brazilian Flame flowers.

All tiny reflections of God’s attention to detail, right down to the last little joyful bloom.

As September begins, our studio garden is still showing off  her “details” with  a grateful applause.

It’s an applause that reminds us to appreciate ourselves.

We are each an amazing creation too.  Intricately fashioned and cared for by God. He says he takes great delight in you.  And if he cares enough to lightly dust a flower with shimmers of love in hues of lapis, he certainly will take care of everything that concerns you.

“… He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Savoring September,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Passionflower Power

The passionflowers have arrived.  Just as the garden takes a deep sigh and exhales its last breath of summer, these tiny green tendrils emerge, twirling  over the most desolate places and creating a bright new landscape dotted with a glorious sight …  passionflowers!

You just have to get up close and personal to appreciate one of these flowers. 

Out of the most barren patches of dry ground, these magnificent flowers bloom. And it’s not just an ordinary blooming.  It’s a royal entrance. From utter wastelands they lift their regal crowns and extend a scepter of beauty all over the garden.  It’s a total transformation.

They're a reminder of the total transformation that waits for us, regardless of how rough and rocky the landscape of our lives have been.

It’s a covering of love from God that overshadows the entire terrain of our lives and turns ashes to beauty.

So, let our little passionflower, with her head lifted up, encourage you to lift your head up today.  Listen to these words of promise that can turn your wastelands into gardens of beauty...and just brace yourself for the total trans formation that will come.

God will give you  “a crown of beauty instead of ashes” and “crown you with love and tender mercies.”  Isaiah 61:3 and Psalms 103:4

Wearing our crowns,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Louisiana Lagniappe

Down in Louisiana there’s a unique word that describes the feeling of having more than enough, extra, or an unexpected gift. It’s called lagniappe (lan-yap).

 Like an extra helping of deep rich, roux gravy on mashed potatoes, extra shrimp in your gumbo, or a little more cream in your coffee, this word just seems to capture the joy of occasionally going overboard with something good. That’s exactly how we felt when we saw these photos from Laura’s recent Louisiana trip. It’s a design lagniappe of sorts, filled with more than enough inspiration to keep us creating for a while!

We’ll be using some of these fabulous design inspirations in upcoming artwork.  In the meantime, we’ll just have to dream of these steamy cups of café au lait and mounds of beignets topped with snowy caps of powered sugar. 

                                     

So, fix yourself the strongest cup of coffee you can make and enjoy a little visual lagniappe with us today as we take a trip down south, just outside of New Orleans, through Laura’s travel notes and photos...

        Up at sunrise to go “birding” in the Bluebonnet Swamp with James and my brother-in-law, Robert McLaughlin III.  Robert is an avid birder, historian and storyteller of Louisiana history and culture and his invitation to this swamp was one of the highlights of our trip! The swamp is part of the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, a 103 acre paradise right in the heart of the busy city of Baton Rouge.



The birds were shy, but the wildflowers put on a show.

                                       Found this weathered bee box near the swamp,

                             

                                          these mushrooms having a party on a log

                                                and two precious cardinal bird eggs. 

                                         Could have stayed all day in the swamp ...

 but, a little tour of homes and sites was waiting.

    Love the whimsical color combinations on this  home.                                 

                                                                              

the magnificent boughs of this ancient oak tree

                                             and soft Spanish moss swaying in the breeze,

                                                          draping everything in sight.

                                           We had two little finales on this lagniappe day... 

                                                    trees with storybook pages of bark

and pink breezy flowers.

 

" For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, ... this our grateful hymn of praise." 

                                                 Folliott Piermont ( 1835-1917)

 Savoring southern sites,

                           The Velvet Lime Girls

Cherry Inspiration

  

The Rainier cherries brought a little sweet inspiration into our studio this week.  

These delicious cherries are in season  and when a beautiful bowl of them sat on our studio table we couldn’t resist photographing them. One in particular just seemed to be smiling a shiny smile that begged to be snapped up in a photo.

The photo led to further inspiration. Marybeth took one look at this bright faced fellow and broke out her dusty paints. He just had to be captured on canvas!  Here’s a peek at her first rough study that we’ll use as inspiration for upcoming artwork.  It’s a nice reminder that inspiration really is everywhere!

This simple photo has started a new movement in our studios.  We’ve been pulling out our sketchpads, watercolors, pastels and paints.  All because of a little cherry!

These delicate, soft blushing cherries are sweet reminders of how one creative idea often generates another creative idea.  A photograph initiated this little painting, but the original inspiration came from the Creator himself.  And a bowl of His freshly picked cherries is a sweet reminder of just how creative God really is.

  Right down to the last freckle faced cherry.

“…the whole earth is full of His shining-greatness.”  Isaiah 6:3

Nibbling on cherries,

                    The Velvet Lime Girls